All the items of being truthful and safe are all doctrines. It has come to past that shooting someone has become a hashmark for a lot of young screws trying to become big in the Gang the wrong way. Expect violence to be part
of your life several times during your tenure.

While driving I got the red light. Since I don't drink and I drive defensively I suspected it was for seat belt. I had it on. So I put both my hands on my steering wheel while I pulled over. When the Officer approached my window he said "Oh! you've got it on". Then he went thru the license/insurance routine. Then gave me a long, fucking long lecture on having my seat belt over my shoulder rather than under my arm pit and across my mid section. I ate it, all of it. I wear a Pacemaker on my left with added padding on my seat belt. This young man, younger than some of my Grandkids was having a ball playing policemen, while all the time losing my respect. I got no ticket for wearing my seat belt.

Don't lie. I used to "interview" people. Once during a Jury selection (I have been tossed off 13 selections due to my contact with Government) a female ADA asked if testimony differed between an accussed and a LEO, which one would I believe. I advised I would weigh the tetimony. The ADA, expecting a roll over, play dead reply asked why I would weigh a LEO's testimony. I advised that LEO's, when it comes to being partial, are civilians with badges. Guys, just tell it as it was.

To my Officers. You are the guys who protect my home, family, and 'troll my streets. I am damned glad you are there. Be safe.

All the items of being truthful and safe are all doctrines. It has come to past that shooting someone has become a hashmark for a lot of young screws trying to become big in the Gang the wrong way. Expect violence to be part
of your life several times during your tenure.

While driving I got the red light. Since I don't drink and I drive defensively I suspected it was for seat belt. I had it on. So I put both my hands on my steering wheel while I pulled over. When the Officer approached my window he said "Oh! you've got it on". Then he went thru the license/insurance routine. Then gave me a long, fucking long lecture on having my seat belt over my shoulder rather than under my arm pit and across my mid section. I ate it, all of it. I wear a Pacemaker on my left with added padding on my seat belt. This young man, younger than some of my Grandkids was having a ball playing policemen, while all the time losing my respect. I got no ticket for wearing my seat belt.

Don't lie. I used to "interview" people. Once during a Jury selection (I have been tossed off 13 selections due to my contact with Government) a female ADA asked if testimony differed between an accussed and a LEO, which one would I believe. I advised I would weigh the tetimony. The ADA, expecting a roll over, play dead reply asked why I would weigh a LEO's testimony. I advised that LEO's, when it comes to being partial, are civilians with badges. Guys, just tell it as it was.

To my Officers. You are the guys who protect my home, family, and 'troll my streets. I am damned glad you are there. Be safe.

See, I know the truth, you being 37 and always bragging about your well, you know.I would have just wrote you and myb tasered you too, lighting up the night sky! :).

Expect violence to be part
of your life several times during your tenure.

This young man, younger than some of my Grandkids was having a ball playing policemen, while all the time losing my respect. I got no ticket for wearing my seat belt.

To my Officers. You are the guys who protect my home, family, and 'troll my streets. I am damned glad you are there. Be safe.

One of the most important things for young cops to learn is that diplomacy and proper interaction with citizens and even criminals can go a long way towards keeping them safe. Sometimes courtesy and civility isn't possible but in most cases it is. A cop has to be an actor. He can't depend on physical prowess or expect everyone to be awed by his authority all of the time. He has to understand that no one approach fits all and has to have a grab bag full of acts that allow him to adjust to a variety of situations that he will be encountering throughout his career. Being rigid and autocratic to a fault will will not work.

A surley attitude, when not necessary, can escalate a situation from one of non violence to one of violence when dealing with criminals and can turn a supportive citizen sour on the police, during routine contacts such as occur during traffic stops.

A non caring attitude, when dealing with crime victims, such as people who have had their homes burglarized or their cars stolen can also harm police/community relationships. I used to tell my officers to show some compassion, even if they didn't feel it because the burglary that was routine to them was a big and traumatic event in the life of the person that had just been ripped off.

My policy was always to treat a citizen or a suspect with the civility that was being accorded to me. If the citizen was being respectful there was no need for me to puff my chest and act as though I were superior to him because in reality I'm not. I was there to serve and protect. The public paid me for my services.

Furthermore, I used to tell the rookies that I trained that, "There are alot of bad guys out there who are bigger and tougher than we are. They spend all thelr time, in the joint, practicing gun takeaways and pumping iron. They'd just as soon shove your star up your ass as look at you. You use physcial force and defend yourself, when necessary, but don't let your attitude be the catalyst that makes it necessary."

I remember one occassion, when I was riding around with one of my patrolmen and we got a domestic violence call. When we pulled up to the residence there was a guy on the second floor, who threw open the window and said, "Okay, you want me come and get me!" I told the patrolman that, "it looks like we're going to have our hands full on this one." (The guy was built like a freight train) As we alighted from the vehicle and headed for the door, he came flying out onto the sidewalk but quickly halted when he saw us. His demeanor immediately changed from being combative to one of cooperation, when he saw my patrolman. His words were, "Okay man , I don't want to fight you. You treated me fair last time." To make a long story short, we arrested and booked him for spousal battery, without incident. We avoided what would have been a knock down drag out beef with the guy had he not had a positive experience with my patrolman on his last encounter.

On another occassion, riding with the same patrolman, we were flagged down on the street and pointed in the direction of a 6'7" 270 pound former football player from Arizona State. He was cracked out and was terrorizing people on the street. We approached him and used our verbal skills to cajole him into handcuffs, get him into the car and transport him to the station for booking. His demeanor flucuated between crying, laughing and yelling. We didn't have to lay a hand on him at any time during the process.

He was transported down to the city prison, without incident and everything went fine until our wagon crew turned him over to the Sheriffs Deputies, who run the jail. They copped an attitude with him, taking his insanity to be belligerence and didn't "bullshit" him like we had. The result was that it took nine of them to get him into a cell.

A cop always has to be ready to handle a physical confrontation but he also has to have the common sense and proper understanding of people to know how to get things done without that approach if it is possible. That requires proper decorum. If the person or suspect that is being dealt with doesn't respond well to that approach than escalation is necessary.

__________________The Second Amendment assures me the right to protect myself from outlaws. If I'm ever deprived of that right I will become an outlaw. (PJ)

always get both sides of the story before you decide on an action, and realize the truth is somewhere in the middle

Remember, when you are on scene, "there is a man with a gun" there and act accordingly, because it's your gun.

And along the lines of the famous quote from the movie "Colors" starring Sean Penn(yeah I know, he's a quack) and Robert Duvall.....don't run down off the hill and fuck one of the sheep.....walk down, and fuck them all......the point: work hard, but work smart...use proper tactics, wait for proper assistance and escalate force early enough and to the proper level in order to have a successful conclusion to the scenario.

Know proper radio procedures! f you sound like a jackass on the radio, your reputation among everyone and anyone who uses/monitors your net will be that you're a jackass. It's not difficult, just know what you need to say and say it in a normal conversational voice. If you sound ate up on the radio, your peers are going to assume you're ate up in every other aspect.

Don't narrate your entire call on the radio; Dispatch and all the other road dogs don't give a shit. When clearing that alarm call, you don't need to say, "XYZ, I'll be clear, it was just the cleaning crew, they didn't have the right alarm code, but it looks like they're legit." Just saying "XYZ clear" accomplishes the same thing without you tying up the net with unnecessary BS that doesn't need to be broadcasted (obviously using whatever appropriate codes are used in your agency).

Emergency situations: For Christ's sake, when someone says they're in pursuit, needs code 3 cover, shots fired, etc. just fucking go! Don't tie up radio time with useless info such as, "I'm enroute from here, do you need more units, etc." Dispatch knowing you're on the way doesn't do a damn thing for that guy that needs help, but your blabbing on the radio at the same time he needs to put out critical information might very well have some negative consequences. Anyone who has been in pursuit and had to wait patiently to broadcast that you've made three turns onto three different streets, the passenger tossed a gun, you're now going an entirely different direction, and by the way here's the plate number because people keep saying "XYZ enroute" knows what I'm talking about. The radio belongs to the guy who needs it, just STFU and do what you need to do to help him / her out. If you have info that's critical and needs to be known right now (such as "That's an unreported stolen vehicle," "That guy is known to carry guns," "I have spikes set up here," etc) by all means broadcast it when appropriate, but otherwise your talking doesn't do anyone any good.

Know proper radio procedures! f you sound like a jackass on the radio, your reputation among everyone and anyone who uses/monitors your net will be that you're a jackass. It's not difficult, just know what you need to say and say it in a normal conversational voice. If you sound ate up on the radio, your peers are going to assume you're ate up in every other aspect.

Don't narrate your entire call on the radio; Dispatch and all the other road dogs don't give a shit. When clearing that alarm call, you don't need to say, "XYZ, I'll be clear, it was just the cleaning crew, they didn't have the right alarm code, but it looks like they're legit." Just saying "XYZ clear" accomplishes the same thing without you tying up the net with unnecessary BS that doesn't need to be broadcasted (obviously using whatever appropriate codes are used in your agency).

Emergency situations: For Christ's sake, when someone says they're in pursuit, needs code 3 cover, shots fired, etc. just fucking go! Don't tie up radio time with useless info such as, "I'm enroute from here, do you need more units, etc." Dispatch knowing you're on the way doesn't do a damn thing for that guy that needs help, but your blabbing on the radio at the same time he needs to put out critical information might very well have some negative consequences. Anyone who has been in pursuit and had to wait patiently to broadcast that you've made three turns onto three different streets, the passenger tossed a gun, you're now going an entirely different direction, and by the way here's the plate number because people keep saying "XYZ enroute" knows what I'm talking about. The radio belongs to the guy who needs it, just STFU and do what you need to do to help him / her out. If you have info that's critical and needs to be known right now (such as "That's an unreported stolen vehicle," "That guy is known to carry guns," "I have spikes set up here," etc) by all means broadcast it when appropriate, but otherwise your talking doesn't do anyone any good.

OK, rant off.

I have long refered to this as the "Look At Me" Syndrome. Some people want to be involved for the sake of saying they were. Most just want to do their jobs without glamor and BS.

If YOU are the one who is in pursuit etc, know where you are and get that out so we can get to you. If your geographical SA is all fucked up, it makes it much, much harder for us to get to the right place.

On the last shift I was on, we usually had the second vehicle that was in pursuit be the one to call the locations and direction of travel. It made it easier for the lead pursuit vehicle to keep eyes on the subjects inside, on weps etc... That'll end up being a departmental preference, though, but it is something to consider.

When it is a pursuit, you should call enroute, but that's about all you should have to say. It keeps the radio clear for the important info, but also lets dispatch/other units know help is on the way... and is also important in the event you fleet out, take fire or whatever. They can't help if they don't know where you are or that you are involved.

If YOU are the one who is in pursuit etc, know where you are and get that out so we can get to you. If your geographical SA is all fucked up, it makes it much, much harder for us to get to the right place.

I'd actually take it a step further and say if you're in a pursuit and don't know where you are, the next words on the radio should probably be, "I'm terminating." It sucks letting the bad guy get away because you "played it smart," but it's normally the right thing to do.

On a side note, there's a funny story in my dept. of a guy who got on the radio and screamed out, "XYZ I'M IN PURSUIT!" Based on the guys' voice on the radio, the Sgt. immediately got on and said, "No you aren't."

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God... I wish I'd been able to have read this when I was a rookie back in the day!

Good stuff.

I'd add...

1. Be nice to everyone you can. You never know when that citizen you were nice to six months ago might be there to help you out (or at least call 911) when you're getting your ass kicked on the street. You may not remember most people but, trust me, they're gonna remember you.

2. For Pete's sake, turn your damn cell phone ringer off when you're doing a building search (or any other tensely tactical situation). Your fellow Officers will NOT appreciate you giving away our positions to the bad guy(s) because your latest 'Rosie Rottencrotch' hoochie-mama is calling you to find out when your shift is over.

1. A police can never lose in a fight--never! Invaluable info given to me from an old salt who taught me defensive tatics. If a police officer loses the fight he also loses his gun and maybe his life. At the end of the fight, the officer HAS to come out on top.
2. The same old salt had us repeatedly state out loud that, "One bullet will never kill me." It seems that enough officers are shot once and they stop fighting.

Another one, for those who change agencies, don't come to the new one talking cash shit about folks at the old one. You never know who knows whom and in small agency areas like mine, we all know each other. Talking shit about someone from the old agency will get back to them as quickly as the words leave your mouth.